2008 Woodie Awards
ASO lobbies with money from 50 cent fees
Money: ASO uses funds to speak up for EC students
By: Lana McCarthy
Issue date: 12/4/03 Section: News
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This semester, the ASO has used the money received from the 50 cent registration fee to train members, to send them to Sacramento and to represent the students.
Expecting $20,000, the ASO received $13,000 from the fee to aid them in the pricey task of lobbying and advocacy.
"Lobbying is expensive," Cameron Samimi, president of ASO said. "The amount received isn't sufficient to what we are spending in representation fees. It costs a lot of money to fly students to Sacramento and to train them as well."
This semester, ASO has used the money to send students to leadership conferences where they learn skills on lobbying and discuss ideas.
Part of the money has also been put toward California Students Association of Community Colleges (CalSACC) dues that help to represent ASO on a statewide level.
"We can only use the money received for certain things such as lobbying, advocacy and leadership conferences," Samimi said.
In order to give the students a voice in Sacramento, ASO used part of the money to send three members to the inaugural celebration for Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"We wanted the governor to know that the students care," Samimi said. "And considering that he's the first governor to have been a community college student, we wanted to say congratulations and remember us".
Even though projects have been accomplished this semester, ASO plans on accomplishing a lot more next semester.
"The majority comes in the spring semester," Celina Luna, student trustee said. "That's when the governor prints out his budget. Already we're preparing for what issues need to be addressed."
For example, next semester ASO plans to join 108 community colleges in March 2004 to take part in the Missing Student Project.
Each college will place two fiberglass statues, representing students lost due to budget cuts and fee increases, on the capitol lawn.
Candace Allen, public relations officer of ASO, said that each statue represents 500 students and will cost $433.
Expecting $20,000, the ASO received $13,000 from the fee to aid them in the pricey task of lobbying and advocacy.
"Lobbying is expensive," Cameron Samimi, president of ASO said. "The amount received isn't sufficient to what we are spending in representation fees. It costs a lot of money to fly students to Sacramento and to train them as well."
This semester, ASO has used the money to send students to leadership conferences where they learn skills on lobbying and discuss ideas.
Part of the money has also been put toward California Students Association of Community Colleges (CalSACC) dues that help to represent ASO on a statewide level.
"We can only use the money received for certain things such as lobbying, advocacy and leadership conferences," Samimi said.
In order to give the students a voice in Sacramento, ASO used part of the money to send three members to the inaugural celebration for Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"We wanted the governor to know that the students care," Samimi said. "And considering that he's the first governor to have been a community college student, we wanted to say congratulations and remember us".
Even though projects have been accomplished this semester, ASO plans on accomplishing a lot more next semester.
"The majority comes in the spring semester," Celina Luna, student trustee said. "That's when the governor prints out his budget. Already we're preparing for what issues need to be addressed."
For example, next semester ASO plans to join 108 community colleges in March 2004 to take part in the Missing Student Project.
Each college will place two fiberglass statues, representing students lost due to budget cuts and fee increases, on the capitol lawn.
Candace Allen, public relations officer of ASO, said that each statue represents 500 students and will cost $433.